overplay

verb

over·​play ˌō-vər-ˈplā 

overplayed; overplaying; overplays

transitive verb

1

a

: to present (a dramatic role) extravagantly : exaggerate

b

: to place too much emphasis on

2

: to rely too much on the strength of

—usually used in the phrase overplay one's hand

3

: to strike a golf ball beyond (a putting green)

intransitive verb

: to exaggerate a part or effect

Examples of overplay in a Sentence

The network news overplayed the story just to get good ratings.

He overplayed the death scene.

Recent Examples on the Web

The brothers pepper in POV shots of the climbers to literally put the audience in their shoes, but don’t overplay their hand, maintaining palpable reality even when the challenges mount to comical levels. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

His allies argue Iran risks overplaying its hand by continuing the war as its economy suffers. — Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Cienfuegos’ show is exceptionally well-acted by the entire cast, this being a company that holds its fictional characters close to the heart and is determined never to overplay in this intimate venue. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026

In a corporate environment, leaders who overplay their hand can trigger resistance from peers, boards and other stakeholders. — Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing overplay

• overplay one's cards
• overplay one's hand

Rhymes for overplay

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

overplay

verb

over·​play ˌō-vər-ˈplā 

1

: exaggerate, overemphasize

newspapers overplayed the story

2

: to rely too much on the strength of

overplayed my hand and lost